Yo Rug Man, Slip Me Some Tassel

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, added in 2001, bring a degree of kinetic energy to the heart of Adventureland. The colorful carpets with their "pillow cushion" seats soar and swoop above the landscape, encircling an enormous jeweled vessel recently unearthed, perhaps through the magic of a certain Genie. The vessel is adorned in beautiful purple and gold tones, along with images of the scarab (which opened the Cave of Wonders), Abu (turning somersaults as the vessel spins), and the Genie himself (showing off his incredible range of expressions). Close observers will even notice the puffs and swirls of the Genie's magic, reaching out from the vessel to lift the carpets and their passengers into the air.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin has been criticized by some as "just another spinner ride," but for the intended audience it's much more than that. At its core, the attraction is of course very similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Astro Orbiter. For children (of all ages) escaping into the fantasy realms of the Magic Kingdom, though, it's a dream-come-true adventure. It's a chance to be Aladdin or Jasmine for a short time and feel what it must be like to soar on a magical, flying carpet, just as those other attractions offer the experience of being an astronaut in training or flying off (literally) to join the circus.

There also happens to be a bit of Hidden Disney here at The Magic Carpets of Aladdin in the form of the pair of golden camels. These camels started their Disney career "spitting" at Guests along the parade route of Disney's Hollywood Studios as part of Aladdin's Royal Caravan, which ran from 1992 to 1995. After that, they were placed in front of the Soundstage Restaurant at the Studios (the building now home to Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage). There, they heralded the entrance to an Aladdin Character dining experience. The Soundstage Restaurant closed in 1998 to become a live entertainment venue, but the camels were brought out of retirement a few years later to take up permanent residence in Adventureland.